Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
The things founders and hiring managers ask us most. Can’t find your answer? Talk to us.
How we work
How does OpenSource screen candidates?
Every candidate is technically assessed by us — people who have written production code — before you interview, using realistic work samples and rubric-scored evaluation rather than abstract puzzles. Software engineering recruitment →
What makes you different from a typical tech recruiter?
We are founder-led by a former software developer and a seasoned recruiter, and we technically screen every candidate ourselves rather than firing over CVs — which saves clients hours a week in interviews. About us →
How quickly can you deliver a shortlist?
For most roles, a technically screened shortlist within days, not weeks, because we screen candidates ourselves and keep an active network of pre-vetted people. Who we hire →
Cost & models
What does it cost, and what models do you offer?
Three models: contingent (pay only on a successful placement), embedded / RPO (a dedicated recruiter for hiring at volume) and retained search (for senior, business-critical roles). We recommend the right fit for your stage. Recruitment models explained →
What is the difference between contingent and retained recruitment?
Contingent is paid only on a placement, so agencies compete on speed. Retained is a dedicated, fixed-fee search with full market coverage including passive candidates. Contingent suits one-off hires; retained suits senior roles. Retained search →
Roles & skills
Which roles do you recruit for?
Across the product and engineering lifecycle: software, backend, frontend, DevOps, security, data and ML engineers, engineering managers, product managers and technical leadership up to CTO. Hire by role →
Can you hire for a specific technology stack?
Yes — we screen for the fundamentals beneath the framework and match to your stack, from Python and React to Go, Kubernetes and Rust. Hire by skill →
Locations & salaries
Which locations do you cover?
Startups and scale-ups across the UK, Europe and the US, with particular depth in London, Berlin, Amsterdam and New York, plus remote and hybrid teams. Where we hire →
How much do tech roles pay in 2026?
It depends on role, seniority, city and sector. Our salary benchmarks and free-to-cite salary statistics break it down by all four. UK tech salary statistics 2026 →